Method of dressing fabrics



Patented Feb. 18, 1936 PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF DRESSING FABRICS Christian Bener, Chur, Switzerland, assignor to Raduner & Co. A.-G., Horn, Switzerland I I No Drawing. Application May 22, 1933, Serial 11 Claims.

There are methods known, which providefor dressing fabrics by means of gelatine solutions, I wherein the gelatine is rendered more or less insoluble with the aid of hardening means. Fabrics treated in this fashion are, however, not fast to washing, since experience has shown that the hardening of the gelatine is incomplete, so that the dressing is almost entirely removed in the first washing. It is a surprising fact that a considerably greater fastness to washing of the fabric can be obtained and at the same timea substantially better resistivity against creasing on drying following the washing, when according to the invention, the fabric treated with gelatine or a chemically hardening animal albumin and suitable hardening means is subjected, advantageously after the drying, to an after treatment with alkali either in stretched or unstretched condition. It is also possible to apply the hardening means together with the solution, in such a manner, that to the solution, for instance gelatine solution, a compound is added which in heating up yields formaldehyde, or else that such substances are used which have a hardening effect only in heated condition, as for example chromates, the hardening therefore taking place only after the impregnated fabric is subjected to a hot treatment.

The thus treated fabric presents an appreciable resistivity against creasing after drying follow-' ing the washing, a very bright surface sheen, an increased afiinity for direct dyestuffs and a very strong afiinity for acid dyestuffs. In 'Washing such fabrics under usual conditions (admixing 5 grams of soap and 2 grams of soda to one liter of water at 50 C.) the fabric in its moist state is flabby and soft, but after drying it reassumes its original stiffness. v

With the fabrics treated in this manner no substantial decrease of tearing strength and no reduction of the thickness of the fabric takes place, as compared with those fabrics which for the purpose of being stiffened are subjected to the known acid refining processes. However an 7 increase in weight as compared with that of the bleached or mercerized fabric, which is afterwards subjected to the treatment according to the invention, occurs. When after the impregnation of the whole surface of the fabric, that is in cases where no design is applied thereto yielding a pattern effect, the treatment with alkali is carried out with the fabric in stretched condition, a highly brilliant, lucid, glassy stiff fabric ensues. If to the fabric the gelatine is applied in accordance with a design and the treatment In Germany February 17, 1933 is carried out after the hardening without stretching the fabric, alternately stiff lucid and dull opaque fabric portions are obtained, where by, depending on the manner in which the fabric is tensioned in drying the goods, a smooth or crape-like effect is obtained.

In dyeing the thus treated fabric it is possible to produce by means of direct dyestuffs due to v the increased affinity of the depressed portions,

a two-shade effect of the same colour, and by staining with suitable acid cotton reserving dyestuffs a colouring alternating with white portions can be effected. Furthermore, by a previous acid staining and a subsequent direct staining or vice Versa corresponding two-colour obtained.

In the following the method is further explained by way of several examples.

Example 1 Mercerized mousseline or other cotton goods are impregnated in usual manner with a gelatine solution of 8 to 20% concentration and afterwards treated with a 2 to 4% aqueous formaldehyde solution. Thereupon the fabric in moist state ordry, is mercerized with a lye of usual concentration in tensioned condition and dried in effects are tensioned condition after being washed out and neutralized. In this manner a lucid, highly brilliant stiff fabric is obtained with a surface finish of a relatively high quality which is relatively fast to washing.

Example tv A mousseline fabric is printed with a gelatine solution and hardened as specified in Example 1.

'Ihereupon the fabric is treated without tension- The fabrics treated as described in Example 2 are stained with suitable wool dyestuffs, i. e. acid dyestuffs with or without aftertreatment by means of metallic salts such as chromates with the result that only the effects produced by the finishing treatment are dyed, as the untreated cotton has no affinity for the dyestuff, so that a. dyeing effect of the respectivecolour combined with white is obtained.

Example 4 Example 5 By dyeing the fabrics obtained by the treatment as described in Example 2 with direct dyestuffs two-shade effects of the same colour are produced, due to the greater affinity of the dressed fabric portions.

What I claim is:

1. In a method of dressing fabrics, particularly cotton fabrics, the steps of treating the fabric with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin and chemical hardening means, subjecting the thus dressed fabric to an aftertreatment with an alkali, and drying the fabric under conditions adapted to produce the desired definite finish of the fabric.

2. In a method of dressing fabrics, particularly cotton fabrics, the steps of treating the fabric with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin and chemical hardening means, drying the fabric, subjecting the thus dressed fabric to an aftertreatment with an alkali, and drying the fabric under conditions adapted to produce the desired definite finish of the fabric,

3. In a method of dressing fabrics, particularly cotton fabrics, the steps of treating the fabric with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin and chemical hardening means, drying the fabric, subjecting the thus dressed fabric to an aftertreatment with an alkali in stretched condition, and drying the fabric under conditions adapted to produce the desired deflnite finish of the fabric.

4. In a method of dressing fabrics, particularly cotton fabrics, the steps of treating the fabric with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin and chemical hardening means, drying the fabric, subjecting the thus dressed fabric to an aftertreatment with an alkali in unstretched condition, and drying the fabric under conditions adapted to produce the desired definite finish of the fabric.

5. In a method of dressing fabrics, particularly cotton fabrics, the steps of treating the fabric, With a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin and chemical hardening means, drying the fabric, subjecting the thus dressed fabric to an aftertreatment with an alkali in stretched condition, washing and neutralizing the fabric, and drying the fabric in stretched condition, for producing a lucid, highly brilliant stiff fabric With a surface finish of a relatively high fastness to washing.

6. In a method of dressing fabrics, particularly cotton fabrics, the steps of printing the fabric with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin in accordance with a pattern, hardening the fabric by chemical hardening means, subjecting the thus dressed fabric to an aftertreatment with an alkali in unstretched condition, washing and neutralizing the fabric and drying the fabric in unstretched condition, for

producing crape effects at the printed portions of the fabric.

'7. In a method of dressing fabrics, particularly cotton fabrics, the steps of printing the fabric with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin in accordance with a pattern, hardening the fabric by chemical hardening means, subjecting the thus dressed fabric to an aftertreatment with an alkali in unstretched condition, washing and neutralizing the fabric, and drying the fabric in stretched condition, for producing a smooth fabric with lucid stiff pattern portions and opaque soft pattern portions.

8. In a method of dressng fabrics, particularly cotton fabrics, the steps of treating the fabric with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and alubumin and chemical hardening means, and subjecting the thus dressed fabric to an aftertreatment with an alkali, for improving the fastness to washing of the fabric and obtaining a better resistivity against creasing after the drying subsequent to washing.

9. A fabric, particularly cotton fabric, having a. highly brilliant transparent appearance and a stiffness at a resilient grip, the threads influenced by an alkali treatment after treatment with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin and chemical hardening being such structurally as to withstand laundering, the fabric getting soft and flappy on laundering but regaining its original transparency and stiffness after drying, and having a pronounced affinity for acid dyestuffs.

10. A fabric having pattern effect and consisting of portions having a highly brilliant transparent appearance and a stiffness at a resilient grip, the threads influenced by an alkali treatment after treatment with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin and chemical hardening being such structurally as to withstand repeated laundering, the fabric getting soft and flappy on laundering but regaining its original transparency and stiffness after drying, and of portions having the characteristics of a dense cotton fabric, the transparent portions and the dense portions having different affinities for dyestuffs i. e. a pronounced aflinity for acid dyestuffs besides an increased aflinity for suitable direct dyestuffs.

11. A fabric having pattern effect and consisting of portions having a highly brilliant transparent appearance and a stiffness at a resilient grip, the threads influenced by an alkali treatment after treatment with a compound of the group consisting of gelatin and albumin and chemical hardening being such structurally as to withstand repeated laundering, the fabric getting soft and flappy on laundering but regaining its original transparency and stiffness after drying, and of portions having the characteristics of a dense cotton fabric, the transparent portions having a wavy character and yielding a crapelike appearance to the fabric, the transparent portions and the dense portions having different affinities for dyestuffs and a pronounced affinity for acid dyestuffs besides an increased affinity for suitable direct dyestuffs.

CHRISTIAN BENER. 

